Tool-box for automobiles.



E. WHITNEY & M. G. GRIMM.

TOOL BOX FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. II. I9I5.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I N Am COLUMBIA 0., WASHINGTON D c EARLE WHITNEY ANDMARTIN GRIMM, OF LEWES, DELAWARE.

TOOL-BOX FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

Application filed March 11, 1915. Serial No. 13,618.

T 0 all whom it may conoerm Be it known that we, Earns WHITNEY andMARTIN C. GRIMM, citizens of the United States, residing at Lewes, inthe county of Sussex and State of Delaware, have invented a new anduseful Tool-Box for Automobiles; and we do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention pertains to automobiles and more particularly toaccessories therefor, for instance, such as an improved tool box tobesuspended from the under side of the running board of the automobile forthe reception of various tools and the like essential to automobiles.

' An object of the invention is to provide an improved tool box havingnovel features of construction.

One of the features of construction is the provision of a box dividedinto two compartments, each of which being suppl ed with an independentclosure having spring clips at each end to exclude exterior atmosphericelements.

Another feature ofthe invention is to provide each closure at its upperedge with in order to shed the rain and the like past the joint.

Another feature of the invention is that the spring clips at the ends ofthe closures for the reception of the flanges of the closures are closedat their tops and open at their bottoms, the closed upper parts actingto exclude the weather, but in case rain or the like should enter theclips, it will run or drain out at the bottom.

In practical fields the details of construction 'may necessitatealterations, falling within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, ashereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing the improvedtool box as applied to the under side of the running board of anautomobile. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22- of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isasectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1. Flg. 1 is a transverse sectionalview on line of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on line 55of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an end view of the box. Fig. 7 is an enlargeddetail view showing the spring clip joint of one end of each closure.Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view, not only showing the joint of theupper edge of each closure, but also the joint at one end of eachclosure. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view showing one of the bracketsor hangers supporting the tool box under the running board.

Referring more especially to the drawings, 1 designates the Woodenbottom, the rear longitudinal portion of which is recessed at 2 for thereceptionof the extension 3 of the wooden back 4 of the box. The endportions of the wooden bottom are re cessed as shown at 5 for thereception of the tongues 6 of the wooden ends 7. Suitable screws 8 and 9secure the wooden bottom, the back, and the wooden ends together, as'shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. The end portions 10 of the wooden backare provided with recesses 11 for the reception of the tongues 12 of thewooden end pieces, there being suitable screws 13 to render these jointssecure and substantial, as shown in Fig. 2. As disclosed in Figs. 2 and3 the central portions of-the wooden back and bottom pieces are-suppliedwith recesses 14 and 15 for the reception of the tongues 16 and 17.Suitable screws18 and 19 are provided to render the joints of the parts14 and 16 and the parts 15 and 17 secure.

As shown the tool box is provided with a sheet metal top 20, andextending from one end piece to the other adjacent. their upper outercorners is a wooden strip 21 having a rabbet or recess 22. The sheetmetal top engages the upper portion of the wooden strip 21, and extendsdownwardly over the same and into the rabbet or recess 22, as shown at24:. The rear part ofthe top extends downwardly over and in engagementwith the wooden back, as shown at 25, and is secured as shown at 26 tothe back. i The end portions of the sheet metal top also extend faces ofthe wooden end pieces, there being,

suitable screws 27 for securing partsof the sheet metal top to thewooden pieces.

Suitable doors or closures 30 are provided, and riveted or otherwisesecured adjacent the free portions of said doors or closures are strips31, which carry suitable locks 32, theinterior construction of whichforms no part of the present invention, therefore it is not shown, therebeing suitable keys 33 for manipulating the looks. The lower portion 35of each closure or door is bent upon itself as shown at 36 to form areinforcing part 37. Through these reinforcing parts 37 and the body ofthe doors, and through the hinge leaves 38 of the hinges 39 suitablerivets or the like 40 extend, so as to connect said leaves 38 of thehinges to the reinforced parts of the doors. The leaves 51 of the hingesare bolted at 4-2 to the wooden bottom of the box. Fastened by screws orother suitable means &3 to the wooden strip 21 are plates set, betweenthe parts &5 of which and that part of the top 20 which extends into therabbet or recess 22, a suitable rubber cushion constituting a packing4:6 is arranged, to be engaged by the inturned flanges 47 of the doorsor' closures 30, thereby insuring a tight joint when the doors areclosed and locked. Secured at 48 to the strip 21 but upon the outerportion of that part of the top 20 which extends over the strip 21 is ametal plate 49 having an angularly downwardly extending deflectingflange 50, so as to shed the rain and the like over the joint betweenthe free ends of the doors or closures. The box is divided in twocompartments 51 and 52, by means of the wooden divisional or partingmember 53, which carries the tongues 16 and 17 Secured to the edgeportion 54: of the parting or divisional member is a metal channel orU-shaped strip 55, which is closed at the top and open at the bottom.The closed upper end of the channel or U-shaped strip 55 acts to assistin preventing rain or the like from entering the channel of said strip55. However, in case the rain does enter, it will pass out at thebottom. Secured at 56 to the ends of the box are angular spring clipplates 57, which are also closed at their tops and open at the bottom,in order to perform the same purpose as those performed by the channelstrips 55.

The adjacent end portions 58 of both doors or closures are provided withflanges 59, to enter the channel strip 55, there being a suitablepacking 60 in the channel strip 55 to insure a tight oint. The outer endportions 61 of the doors or closures are provided with flanges 62, whichare disposed at acute angles to the bodies of the doors or closures anddesigned to fit the spring clips 57, and to engage the packing 63 in thespring clips to form tight joints. The metal top of the chine.

To suspend the tool box from the under portion of the running board ofan automobile, there are five U-shaped hanger irons 67 and 68 provided,two to fit each end of the box, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 3, andanother 68 to fit the box from one of its longitudinal sides, and theupper portions of these hanger irons are provided with slots 69, toreceive the bolts 70, which not only pass through the running board, butalso through the metal top 20 of the box. The slots 69 serve the purposeof permitting the hanger irons to be adjusted, to suitably fit differentconstructions of running boards.

Bolts 71 penetrate the wooden bottom of the box and also extend throughthe lower parts of said hanger irons, and are provided with suitablenuts to insure holding the box in its proper place. The wooden strip 21at its ends is provided with tongues 74 to engage the recesses 75 in thewooden end pieces 7 of the box.

From the foregoing it will be noted, there has been devised animprovedsimple and eflicient and practicalconstruction of tool box, to besecurely suspended from the under face of the running board of anautomobile, and provided with improved joints to exclude the weather,and having doors or 010- sures to swing outwardly and downwardly, so asto allow ready access to the two compartments of the box.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and usefulis 1. A tool box for automobile I running boards comprising fiber back,end and bottom pieces, a metallic top having back, end and frontextension pieces, the back and end pieces overlapping and extendingdownwardly upon the fiber end and back pieces, a front fiber strip overwhich the front extension overlaps and engages, said front fiber striphaving a longitudinal recess extending inwardly under the metallic topand having a cushion packing, and a metallic closure provided with areinforced lower portion hinged to the fiber bottom piece and providedwith aninturned flange at its up per edge to engage the cushion packing.

2. A tool box for automobile running boards comprising fiber back, endand bottom pieces, a metallic top having back, end and front extensionpieces, the back and end pieces overlapping and extending downwardlyupon the fiber end and back pieces, a front fiber strip over which thefront extension overlaps and engages, said front fiber strip having alongitudinal recess extending inwardly under the metallic top and havinga cushion packing, and a metallic closure provided with a reinforcedlower portion hinged to the fiber bottom piece and provided with aninturned flange at its up per-edge to engage the cushion packing, and aneave strip secured to the upper front portion of the box and incliningdownwardly over the cushion packed joint of the closures to shed therain and the like.

3. A tool box for automobile running boards comprising fiber back, endand bottom pieces, a metallic top having back, end and front extensionpieces, the back and end pieces overlapping and extending downwardlyupon the fiber end and back pieces, a front fiber strip over which thefront extension overlaps and engages, said front fiber strip having alongitudinal recess extending inwardly under the metallic top and havinga cushioned packing, a divisional plate of fiber dividing the box intotwo cominwardly extending flanges at their free edges to engage thecushioned packing, the adjacent end portions of the closures having acushioned channel joint with the divisional member, the outer ends ofthe closures having cushioned spring clip joints with the box, and aneave strip overlying and extending downwardly over the cushioned packedjoint of the closures.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EARLE WHITNEY. MARTIN C. GRIMM. Witnesses:

NAPOLEON B. REGISTER, THOMAS PAYNTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, 1). C.

